Pangasinan drug ring leader nabbed

BALUNGAO, Pangasinan: A Filipino-Chinese businessman named by the police as the leader of Ong-Bascos Gang operating in the eastern part of Pangasinan was arrested at dawn on Tuesday.

Senior Supt. Ronald Oliver-Lee, police provincial director, identified the suspect as Alexander “Alex” Ong, 39, of Barangay San Leon in Umingan town who was arrested in a buy-bust in Barangay Kita-Kita at about 3 a.m.

One of Ong’s runners—Dondon Umingan, 25, was instrumental in the arrest.

Lee said Ong is a known pusher in the 5th and 6th districts of Pangasinan.

Senior Insp. Amando Natividad Jr., Balungao police chief, said Ong had just deli­vered about 50 packs of shabu in Urdaneta City and the towns of Umingan, Asingan, Tayug, Santa Maria, Rosales and Asingan when he agreed to transact with a poseur buyer. One plastic sachet of shabu was recovered from him with the P500 marked money.

Natividad said Umingan was earlier arrested in buy-bust in Barangay Rajal, about three hours before Ong was collared. The drug runner said they had just delivered the drugs to their distributors in various towns.

Umingan admitted being Ong’s courier in Balungao and confirmed that his boss is the supplier of shabu in the eastern part of Pangasinan.

Ong has also been identified by pushers and users as their source of shabu.

Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Emilio Matro recommended no bail for Ong during the inquest.

Meanwhile, the No.3 drug pusher in Santa Barbara town and a 16-year-old out-of-school youth were also nabbed on Tuesday.

The arrested suspects were identified as Denver Cabanayan, 16, of Barangay San Alejandro, Santa Maria town, and Rockey Barte of Barangay Tebag in Santa Barbara.